Media content playback system and method

Abstract

An apparatus for switching media content playback from a first playback device to a second playback device across a plurality of playback devices may include a controller programmed to detect a change in location of a portable device from a first media zone including a first playback device to a second media zone including a second playback device, determining a playback position of currently played media content provided from a first media source to the first playback device, identify a second media source that is available at the second media zone, and control the second media source to transmit the currently played media content to the second playback device to switch playback from the first playback device to the second playback device at the playback position.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for switching media content playback across a plurality of playback devices, comprising: a first playback device in a first media zone and a second playback device in a second media zone, and a controller programmed to:
 detect a change in location of a portable device from the first media zone including the first playback device to the second media zone including the second playback device, the first playback device and second playback device being distinct from the portable device; 
 determining a playback position of currently played media content provided from a first media source to the first playback device; 
 identify a second media source that is available at the second media zone based at least in part on a source hierarchy and content availability; and 
 control the second media source to transmit the currently played media content to the second playback device to switch playback from the first playback device to the second playback device at the playback position in response to detecting the change in location of the portable device from the first media zone to the second media zone. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the playback position includes at least one of a canonical metadata and timestamp. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the playback position indicates a time location within the currently played media content at which the change in location is detected. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the playback position indicates a time location within the currently played media content at which the second playback device is to assume playback. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to control the first media source to stop transmitting the currently played media content to the first playback device in response to an indication from the second media source that the currently played media content has been sent to the second playback device. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is further programmed to control the second media source to increase a volume of the currently played media content during playback at the second playback device and to control the first media source to decrease a volume of the currently played media content at the first playback device. 
     
     
       7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium tangibly embodying computer-executable instructions of a software program, the software program being executable by a processor of computing device to provide operations comprising:
 controlling a first media source to transmit media content to a first playback device in a first zone, 
 detecting a second zone based on a location of a portable device, 
 determining a playback position of the media content, 
 detecting a second media source that includes the media content based on the second zone, and 
 controlling the second media source to transmit a copy of the media content to a second playback device within the second zone to switch playback of the media content from the first playback device to the second playback device, wherein switching playback of the media content is done according to a user defined setting that selects between switching playback of the media content from the first playback device to the second playback device after the media content is finished playing, and switching playback of the media content from the first playback device to the second playback device at the playback position. 
 
     
     
       8. The medium of  claim 7 , wherein the playback position includes at least one of a canonical metadata and timestamp. 
     
     
       9. The medium of  claim 7 , wherein the playback position indicates a time location within the media content at which the second zone is detected. 
     
     
       10. The medium of  claim 9 , wherein the playback position indicates a time location within the media content at which the second playback device playbacks the media content based on the time location. 
     
     
       11. The medium of  claim 7 , wherein the second media source is identified at least in part on a source hierarchy and content availability. 
     
     
       12. The medium of  claim 7 , further comprising controlling the first playback device to cease playback of the media content in response to an indication from the second media source that the media content has been transmitted to the second playback device.